MACON, GEORGIA

Macon is a history buff’s playground, a musician’s happy place, and a traveler’s unexpected favorite destination.

DJ BBQ fell in love with Macon, GA because of the wonderful local community, vast historical connections, and some of the best southern comfort food around. From its deep musical heritage to its roots in African American history and beyond—its rich historical significance literally tracing back several millennia to the first inhabitants—Macon means something different to everyone, but it has indelibly earned its moniker: “Where Soul Lives.”

Macon excels at telling its story through history. You can start with the earliest settlement by hiking through the ancient indigenous Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park sat alongside the Ocmulgee River. For over 17,000 years these lands were inhabited by humans and over 2000 artifacts are on display at the park’s visitor center museum rotunda. Visitors in the Spring have the unique opportunity to take the annual Lantern Light Tour, which decorates the path from the visitor center to the top of the Great Temple Mound with stunning lanterns. Spending an evening peacefully gazing into the night sky over the mounds is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won’t soon forget.

You’ll definitely want to continue your historical tour by visiting the Tubman Museum, which according to maconga.org, is the Southeast’s largest museum dedicated to the Art, History, and Culture of African Americans. The museum plays host to the two-day Pan African American Festival annually to celebrate the diverse music, dance, food, film, and art of the African Diaspora. If music history is your gig, no visit to Macon is complete without a pilgrimage to the #1 most-visited tourist destination in Macon, the Allman Brother’s Band Museum. “The Big House” as it’s commonly called, is a reflection of the past, having been lovingly preserved in time, just as it looked and felt like when it was actively used by the Allman Brothers, their friends, and family. Afterwards, you’ll want to see Douglass Theatre, a restored historic theatre built in 1921 by esteemed black Macon entrepreneur Charles Douglass. The theater, in its time, emerged as the preeminent venue for African Americans outside Atlanta, and hosted iconic stars such as Bessie Smith, Cab Calloway, Ida Cox, Ma Rainey, and Macon’s very own Otis Redding, to name just a few. Speaking of Otis Redding, you can finish your historical tour at the Otis Redding Foundation, which houses exclusive artifacts and personal treasures of the Grammy Award-winning artist that called Macon his home.

If sports are your thing, you can visit the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame with 14,000 square feet of exhibit space housing over 3,000 artifacts.

Next, take a stroll through the Cotton Avenue District, which houses iconic historic buildings integral to Macon’s soulful story, most of which still stand and operate today. Here you’ll find Mercer Music at Capricorn, once named Capricorn Sound Studios by Otis Redding, which has been restored as a fully functioning studio for young musicians, alongside a historical space with artifacts, exhibits, and interactive kiosks. You’ll also find H&H, the famous dining institution founded in 1959 by Inez Hill and Louise Hudson, which has become inextricably woven into the fabric of Macon’s history. Its soul food has captured the hearts of locals for decades and even developed a unique connection with the Allman Brothers Band. The preservation of Macon institutions has become a major priority of the city and local community, which can be seen far and wide in this district.

With some 20 annual events, Macon offers opportunities for locals and visitors alike to enjoy a variety of fun recreational activities of every kind: In the Summer, the Macon Film Festival brings independent films to town and celebrates filmmaking locally. The Macon Beer Fest in the Fall celebrates craft beer and wine with over 100 varieties, with all donations benefiting prostate cancer education. In Winter, the Main Street Macon Christmas Parade brings the whole community together to start off the holiday season as one. And finally, the Cherry Blossom Festival in the Spring beckons everyone out to enjoy concerts, outdoor fairs, and food surrounded by the awe-inspiringly beautiful blooming pink leaves of Macon’s over 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees.

Although Macon is probably best known as a soul food mecca, hungry visitors will find just about anything they’re looking for, from fine dining to farm-to-table restaurants. With options like Cajun, Asian, Italian, Caribbean, Cuban, Indian, Mediterranean, and Mexican, there is no lack of diversity, and sure to be something to please every palate. And that’s to say nothing about options for quenching your thirst! If you’re interested in bars, pubs, or breweries, there are 27 options available locally—Macon has a little something for everyone.

Make Macon an unforgettable journey for you— it certainly was for DJ BBQ, who in the latest episode of LOST IN received a warm personal welcome to the community by Justin Andrews, the grandson of Otis Redding. The welcoming nature of Macon will make anyone feel right at home and proud of the history it has to offer.

If you’re interested in any of the places DJ BBQ went to in the episode, please check out the links below.